Watch a Christmas film with a heart of gold

C hristmas is the only time of year that watching cheesy, festive-themed movies is actually in vogue.

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Whether your preference is “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Christmas Vacation” or one of the endless version of “A Christmas Carol,” everyone has a favorite Christmas movie. You might turn to the Grinch or Rudolph or even Charlie Brown for your holiday cheer. I, however, look to a sentimental classic with a heart of gold.

When I say “Miracle on 34th Street,” please don’t recall the remake with that girl from “Matilda.” Take your mind back to the black-and-white comfort of the original, starring a young and impressionable Natalie Wood.

The story concerns a sweet old man named Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn), who claims to be the real Santa Claus. His claim leads to a sanity hearing and a young lawyer (John Payne) who must find a way to bring the Christmas spirit out of a doubtful court. Maureen O’Hara plays a spiritless skeptic who employs Kris as the store Santa at Macy’s Department Store in New York City. She grows to love the old man, but it’s her daughter (Wood) who truly believes.

The film’s originality was honored when the Academy Awards for 1947 were handed out. Nominated for four, including best picture, “Miracle on 34th Street” took home three. Gwenn was honored for his heart-warming performance, and both the story and screenplay were recognized.

In recent years, the movie has been selected for the National Film Registry and ranked highly on two American Film Institute lists, which named it the ninth most inspiring and fifth greatest fantasy film of all time.

Interestingly enough, the movie was actually released in May, because studio head Darryl F. Zanuck thought that more people went to go see movies during the summer. As a result, marketing for the film kept the fact that it was a Christmas movie under wraps. Zanuck didn’t even want to make the movie because he thought it was too “corny.”

The scenes of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade are actual footage of the parade held in 1946. Careful preparation and planning was necessary since reshoots were not an option. Gwenn was also the parade’s Santa that year, fulfilling all the duties of typical parade Santa, including addressing the crowd at the conclusion of the parade.

In addition, the scenes at Macy’s Department Store were also shot on location. The 12,000 Macy’s employees were given half a day off when the picture opened so they could see it.

“Miracle on 34th Street” is one of the few Christmas movies that doesn’t rely on Christmas to create its feeling of seasonal joy. Instead, it works as a movie because it creates that joy all on its own. And that is what truly separates this miracle of a picture from the rest. It doesn’t show Christmas. It makes it.
Discover the miracle of “Miracle on 34th Street,” on sale now at Wal-Mart in the special holiday-themed DVD section.